Food Service: Episode tags for Frasier 2x23 and 10x14
by cumberland river relic
Summary: In 2x23, "The Innkeepers," Frasier and Niles' attempt to open their own restaurant meets with disaster and in 10x14, "Daphne Does Dinner," Daphne's plans go awry. Connection? How about a certain food preparation technique? Events seen through the eyes of Frasier and Roz.


**Episode tags for Frasier 2x23 and 10x14**

Summary: In 2x23, "The Innkeepers," Frasier and Niles' attempt to open their own restaurant meets with disaster and in 10x14, "Daphne Does Dinner," Daphne's plans go awry. Connection? How about a certain food preparation technique?

*******Author's notes*******

I do not own Frasier.

The first episode of Frasier that I ever saw was 2x23, "The Innkeepers." I hadn't laughed so hard in years and was immediately hooked. It remains one of my all-time favorite television episodes. The images of Daphne dispatching the eel and Roz smouldering (literally) from the cherries jubilee explosion still make me chuckle.

In Episode 10x14, "Daphne Does Dinner," Daphne (now married to Niles) carries on the Crane family curse of disastrous dinner parties.

Both episodes showcase the cast doing slapstick humor at its best. If you haven't seen them, I encourage you to do so.

The centerpiece of this double episode tag is the friendship and banter of Frasier and Roz. Frasier narrates.

WARNING: This story involves seafood preparation. Do not read the Episode Tag for 10x14 if you would be offended by this.

*******Episode Tag for Frasier 2x23, "The Innkeepers"*******

Here I was at 2am, sitting in the water-logged remains of Niles and mine's "adventure in food service." Work crews had finally extracted the car embedded in the side of the building, leaving open space for the "drive-thru window" that I had announced earlier.

Dad, Daphne, and Niles had gone home long ago leaving me alone, or at least I thought so. On the other side of the dining area, the door to the women's restroom creaked open and Roz appeared. Amongst all the guilt that I had cycled through this evening, what happened to Roz was near the top of my list. I rushed to her and took her hand.

"Roz, I'm so sorry for everything. What do you say to me starting to make it up to you by getting you a new dress to replace this one? We could go shopping tomorrow after the show is over."

"Thanks, Fras. And yes, I'll take you up on that. As a matter of fact, two dresses wouldn't be a bad idea."

I nodded in agreement.

I reached over and brushed aside a stray lock of hair from her face. Of course if someone else had been there they would have noted that it hardly made any difference, what with her hair, skin, and clothes all being covered with pastry remnants. Roz at least tried to smile at my gesture so I took that as one of the few positive signs of the evening. We just stood there staring at each other until a noise sounded in the corner of the dining area, over near the men's restroom.

At the same time Roz and I both said, "Did you hear that?"

As we crept over towards the area the noise had come from, what we had dubbed the "Enchanted Grotto," the noise grew louder. Roz and I peeked around the corner and received a shock. The two of us saw much more than we would ever want to see of Bulldog and his date for the evening.

"Eww."

"Eww, indeed, Roz."

"That may be the single most disgusting thing I've seen all night."

As we were talking I noticed a box mounted on the wall next to Roz' shoulder. It was the manual control for the sprinkler system in that corner of the restaurant. I pointed it out to Roz, and a devious smile crossed her face.

"Would you like to do the honors, Roz?"

"As much as I would, it's your restaurant, Frasier."

"Don't mind if I do then."

I reached over and flicked the manual switch. Immediately a spray of ice cold water covered the Enchanted Grotto area. The woman with Bulldog screamed while Bulldog himself yelled a string of curses. In the meantime Roz and I ran into the kitchen to avoid having them see us, but we cracked the door wide enough to observe what happened. Even in the kitchen, our laughter was so loud I feared they might hear us so I covered my mouth with one hand and Roz' mouth with my other hand.

Soon enough the woman (now partially clothed) went running through the dining area with Bulldog (less clothed) in hot pursuit, trying to apologize his way back into her good graces. Or whatever passed for good graces with her.

After shutting off the sprinkler, Roz and I returned to survey the damage to the kitchen.

"A lot of lessons learned in here tonight, Frasier."

"Yes, and especially about how to prepare eels."

Roz winced.

"Fras, I always knew that Daphne was a take-charge kind of gal, but that was a side of her I'd never seen before."

"And one I hope to never see again. I suspect after all of this she may ask for a raise."

"All I'm gonna say is you better be careful, or one day I may see a newspaper headline reading, 'Eel-wielding Englishwoman Assaults Employer Over Earnings.'"

I picked up what was left of my tuxedo jacket and we walked to the door.

"Did your date go home?" As soon as I said that I regretted it. Roz' eyes started watering.

"He called me a 'smouldering, pulp-drenched wreck' when he left."

"Oh, Roz. Come here." When I hugged her I could feel her rubbing her face on my shoulder as she sobbed.

"I shouldn't be crying. He was just a guy. I've dated hundre..., uh, doze..., uh, a lot of them. There's plenty more where he came from."

"You know, Roz, for what it's worth, he was right about one thing."

"What's that?"

"The smouldering part. Cherries jubilee or not, you're still the hottest woman in Seattle. He doesn't know what he's missing."

"Thanks, Fras." Roz grasped my face in her hands and kissed it, mere millimeters from my lips. That prompted a certain feeling I got on occasion around Roz. Oh well, it was best for both of us for me to keep that to myself.

As we walked to the car I mentally summed up the evening:

- Water-soaked restaurant, thousands of dollars.

- One ruined Armani tuxedo, $600.

- Two new dresses for Roz, $1,000.

- Getting a kiss from Roz, priceless.

*******Episode Tag for Frasier 10x14, "Daphne Does Dinner"*******

Ever since the dinner party, Daphne had wanted to make up for her debacle. Yes, I said "her" because I took no responsibility for that disaster. If she and Niles had only swallowed their pride and asked for my help from the start things would have been a success. Except for the damaged painting. And the chandelier. And Daphne's mother falling through the ceiling.

Anyway, Daphne was determined to break the Crane family party curse so she decided to start small. By small I mean a dinner with only three guests - Dad, Roz, and me. She and Niles pleaded with us to agree, and we all did.

The day of the dinner Dad drove himself over to the Montana early. Roz and I were going to drive over as soon as our show finished.

When Roz and I made it to the Montana, I used the key my brother had given me long ago to let ourselves in. As soon as we got inside the apartment, Roz and I heard raised voices arguing over something. What made both of us exchange surprised looks was that the two people arguing were Niles and Daphne - and that was something you never heard.

"Do it."

"I will. Just give me a moment."

That non-verbal communication that Roz and I had perfected over the years came in handy at times like this. We agreed in silence to sneak over to the kitchen door to see what was going on. When we got beside the door and opened it a crack, we could see Dad sitting at the kitchen table while Niles and Daphne stood next to the stove, both wearing aprons. Niles was holding an eel in his hand.

"Niles, I remember we were in exactly this same situation eight years ago. Don't hesitate. Just do it!" Daphne said.

"I will, my Love. Just give me a moment to collect myself."

"Oh, for goodness sake. Just give me the eel." Daphne took the eel from her husband's hand.

Dad was sitting next to where Niles and Daphne were standing. He had a front row seat and no way of avoiding what was coming next.

"Whap!" Daphne's wind-up and hurling motion was as good - and as frightening - as ever.

The limp eel lay on the table in front of Dad. Even with everything he had seen during his years on the police force, the pale expression on his face conveyed that in no way was he prepared for what he had just witnessed.

While Dad sat frozen in his seat, Daphne picked up the eel and handed it back to her husband.

"Now get to work, Niles." She said as she kissed his forehead.

Roz and I quietly let the kitchen door shut and looked at each other.

"Roz, there's no way..."

"Me either, Frasier."

We slipped across the living room then made our way back down to the lobby of the Montana. Only then did we dare speak out loud.

"On the way over here we passed by Jim-Bob's Southern Style Bar-B-Que. They're still open. Call Daphne and tell her that we're stuck at the station for an emergency meeting on changes in our 401k plans."

"I'm dialing right now." said Roz.

Once we were back in the car we relaxed - a little.

"Hey, Fras. Didn't you tell me once that Bismark said something like, 'People who eat sausage and respect the law shouldn't watch either one being made.'?"

"I did. But rest assured, Jim-Bob only works on a need-to-know basis with his customers."

*****The End*****

*****Author's notes*****

I hope you enjoyed this!. By the way, Frasier's "priceless" thoughts at the end of the Episode 2x23 section were a parody of an old credit card commercial here in the United States. Also, the origin of the quote often attributed to Bismark is in dispute.

Reviews are welcome, and I look forward to hearing from you.


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